Haryana may drop cases over farm, Jat quota stirs

Geetanjali Gayatri

Chandigarh, December 5

Haryana is likely to withdraw all pending cases registered against protesters during the 2016 Jat reservation agitation as well as the year-long protest against the Centre’s farm laws that ended last December.

Sources said Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij had called a related meeting of senior officers of Home and Police departments tomorrow. The minister is learnt to have sought a status report on the cases and a call on withdrawing these could be taken, said sources. In case the government decides to drop the cases, it will have to furnish an affidavit in the court concerned.

Confirming that he had summoned a meeting, Vij said farmer and All India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti (AIJASS) leaders had met him recently. “They took up the issue of pending cases and the commitment given to them by the government on withdrawal,” he said.

AIJASS national convener Yashpal Malik said 489 cases were registered during the February 2016 agitation. “Several of those named in FIRs were acquitted,” he said. Malik said an assurance on dropping the cases was given by CM Manohar Lal Khattar too in February 2020, “but the issue was put on the back burner after Covid outbreak”.

Vij calls meeting

Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij has called a meeting of senior officers of Home and Police departments on Tuesday. He is learnt to have sought a status report on pending cases.